Aims, content, principles of teaching foreign languages

AIMS, CONTENT, PRINCIPLES OF TEACHING FOREIGN LANGUAGES https://studfile.net/preview/5113496/

MFLT (Methods of Foreign Language Teaching) is a scientifically tested theory concerning the teaching of foreign languages in schools and other educational institutions. It covers three main problems:

• aims of teaching a FL;
• content of teaching (i.e. what to teach to attain the aims);
• methods and techniques of teaching (how to teach a FL to attain the aims in the most effective way).

MFLT is closely related to other sciences such as pedagogy, psychology, physiology, linguistics and some others.

+In MFLT we differentiate between aims (long-term goals) and objectives (short-term goals, immediate lesson goals).

Aims of teaching a foreign language

There are three aims which should be achieved in FL teaching: practical, educational, cultural.

A)The practical aim: the acquisition of a FL as a means of communication. Practical aims cover habits and skills which pupils acquire in using a foreign language.

A habit is an automatic response to specific situations, acquired normally as a result of repetition and learning.

+A skill is a combination of useful habits serving a definite purpose and requiring application of certain knowledge.

The main task of this aim is to teach language as a means of communication in order to understand thoughts of other people and to express own thoughts in oral and written form. Practical acquisition of foreign language means acquiring some or all types of speech.

B) The educational aim: through FL study we can develop the pupil’s intellect. Teaching a FL helps the teacher to develop the pupils’ voluntary and involuntary memory, his imaginative abilities and will power.

C) Cultural aims(Upbringing aim) : learning a FL makes the pupil acquainted with the life, customs and traditions of the people whose language he studies through visual material and reading material; with the countries where the target language is spoken. The main task of this aim is to develop patriotic attitude to the values of native culture, tolerance to the foreign culture and humanistic outlook to the worldwide changes through the learning and teaching foreign language

Content of FLT

1.The first component is habits and skills which pupils should acquire, that is (listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing).

2.The second component is a linguistic one.

It includes:

• Language material (sentence-patterns, pattern-dialogues, texts)
• Linguistic material, i.e. phonology, grammar and vocabulary
• The third component is a methodological component, i.e. the techniques which pupils should acquire to learn the FL in a most effective way. The content of teaching is laid down in the syllabus and realized in teaching materials and in the teacher’s own speech.

Principles of FLT

Teaching principles

Teaching principles are tried as important part of methodology. The term “principle” means starting position for teaching and upbringing learners.

Teaching process in educational establishments is realized on the basis of didactic principles. These principles are aimed at achieving effective education, acquiring basis of knowledge and developing skills to apply obtained knowledge in real life.

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The most recognized principles are:

• Visual principle.
• Scientific principle.
• Systematic principle.
• Principle of accessibility.
• Principle of considering learner’s individual abilities.
• Cognitive principle Teaching foreign language Methodology based on general didactic principles has created methodical principles:

Communicative (speech) approach to teaching foreign language.

Consideration of native language peculiarities.



Prevailing role of exercises on the all stages and in all spheres of foreign language acquisition.